Apparatu for making corrugated wire glass



June 9, 1925f 1,541,635 J. H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CORRUGATED WIRE GLASS Filed Sept. 26. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO June 9, '1925. 4 1,541,635

- J.-H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CORRUGATED WIRE GLASS I Filed Sept. 26 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 20' FIE-1:4. A? I I I FIE-5.' o o o o I o 0 l8 5 o 9 i Q 9 5 o o o k I o 1 0 0 O o g 0 O A l/V VENTOR Jun9,192 5. 1,541,635

J. H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CORRUGATED WIRE GLASS.

Filed Sept. 2 1922 I 3 Sheets-Sheet :s

III

IIIIII "III Patepted June 9,1925- 3 I UNITED STATES PAT 1,541,635. NT OFFICE."

JOHN H. FQX, OF PITTSBURGH. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AFPARATU' FOR MAKING CORRUGATED WIRE GLA SS.

Application filed September" 26. 1922. Serial No. 590.638.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, .Toim ll. Fox, a e1t|-.

Zen of the United States. and a resident of.

Pittsburgh. in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention in Apparatus for Male ing,Corrugated \Vire Glass, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to apparatus for making corrugated wire glass for use in" tile for roofing or for any other purpose where glass of the additional strength incident to the corrugations is necessary or desirable. It has for its primary objects the provision of improved apparatus for making 'the product by a continuous operation more cheaply and rapidly than has been done heretofore, and for producing a product in which the wire or other reinforcing is applied at, and remains at. the neutral axis of the ribbon of glass produced. (ertain embodiments ot the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus on the line I I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section through the apparatus on a reduced scale, such section being taken at the level of the outlet slots;

Fi 3 is a vertical section on a reduced scaleon the line III-III of Fig. 1;.Fig. dis a front elevation of one of the outlet slots;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV of Fig.

4;. Fig. 6 is a vertical section similar to that of Fig. 1 through a modified form of construction, and Fig. 7 is a section showing a modified slot construction.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 is a glass melting tank, preferably of the regenerative type, which is made at its forward end of .U-shape in horizontal section (FIQZ 3), 1n

order to provide the two opposing drawing chambers 2 and 3 having the outlet slots pr passages 41; and 5, preferably located below the levelot the glass in the tank. Provision is made for shutting ott the flow of glass through the passages, in the form of the vertical movable gates 6 and 7 suitably counterbalanced, and movable vertically by means which are not shown. In order to regulate 5 the temperature of the glass flowing through the passages 4 and 5 and also to melt any glass which may solidify in these passages intermediate rolling operations, the resist.-

ance coils 8 and 9 are employed. These resistance coils are preferably of nichrome or other suitable material and are insulated and sealed in the grooves surrounding the passages 4t and 5 by ineansof refractory cement. I 1

Opposite the outlet ends otthe slots are the pairs of rolls "l0 and 11 and -12 and 13, such rolls preferably being hollow and water cooled in order to chill the glass and prevent its sticking to the rolls. The glass ribbons 14 and 15 which are formed between the two sets of rolls are brought together in the vertical pass between the two lower rolls 11 and 123, where they are welded into the composite sheet 16, a suitable wire mesh 17 being ted into the space' between the two sheets just before they are pressed together by the rolls 11 and 13. The passages 4 and 5 are provided at their outlet ends with themetal orifice members 18 and 19, which members are secured to the front walls of the furnace and are corrugated as indicated zit-.20 in Fig. 4:. so that the glass from the orifice members is delivered to the rolls 10 and 11 and 12 and 13 in'corrugated form, the faces of these rolls being correspondingly grooved or corrugated circumterentially. Above the rolls 10 and 12' are a series of corrugating rolls 21 and 22 corrugating' the wire mesh 17, the rolls 21 being driven sprocket chains 21 and 21 from the rolls. 10 and 12, and the rolls 22 being driven by sprocket chains 22 from the rolls 21.

The rolling mechanism is mounted upon a truck 23 provided with the 'wheels 2% engaging the transversely extending-track 25, so that the rollingapparatus may be madereadily accessible by moving the truck laterally from between the furnace chambers and 3. The truck also carries the motor 26 and speed reducing mechanism in the case 27. the shaft 28 of the speed reducing mechanism being provided with a pinion 29 engaging a-spnr gear 30 keyed to the shaft of the roll 12%. The roll '11 is driven from the roll 13 by means of the spur gear 31v keyed to'its sha ft and meshing with the spur gear 30. The rolls l0 and 12am also providedfwith spur gears 32 and 33 meshing with the spur gears 31 and 30, respectively.

In order to give additional heat, it neces-. sary, a burner may be applied through the opening 36 in the side wall of the roll chamber. Y

Located beneath the furnace and extending laterally is a leer 37, such-leer being of 1 any desired form, but preferably comprising an endless belt 38 made up of metal plates carried upon suitable chains and pass ing around sprocket wheels at the end of the necessary inertia in the the leer, one of which, 39 is illustrated. The metal plates constituting the belt may be corrugated to fit the corrugations of the glass sheets so the sheets will not flatten out under the high temperature of the leer and may even be trued up by these plates. The leer may be heated by anysuitable means, the burner holes 40 being illustrated through which the necessary gas for heating may be introduced.

In order to transfer the glass from the rolling mechanisni to the leer, it is preferably cut into sections before shifting from a vertical to a horizontal plane. In order to shear the glass, the corrugated shear member 41, carried upon the guide block 42 is employed, such shear member being operated from an eccentric 43 by means of the connecting rod 4:4. The shaft 45 of the eccentric also carries a fly wheel 46 to give shearing operation, this wheel being driven by means of the belt 47 passing around the wheel and around the pulley wheel 18 of the motor 49. By the use of a suitable clutch (not shown), but of the type normally spring held in release position, the eccentric is conneclcd with and disconnected from its shaft and the shear 41 is reciprocatcd at suitable intervals in order to cut oil the desired lengths of glass.

In order to shift the glass from vertical to horizontal position, the tilting table 50 is employed, such table being pivoted at 51 to the framework 52 and having its lefthand side corrugated to fit the corrugated sheet which is fed downwardly from above against the vertical face of the table. The sheet of glass is held against falling away from the table by suitable clips 5O at the edge of the table. The table is preferably very nearly balanced with a counterweight 53, so positioned with respect to the pivot 51, that'the counterweight tends to hold the table in a vertical position shown until power is supplied to swing the upper end of the table to the right. The actuation of the shear device is accmnplishcil by means of thc bcll crank lcrcrs 5i. and 5.3 and the connecting rods 56 and PT. \Vhcn' the lower oudof the sheetlo be cut oil engages the horizontal ari'n oi the lever 54-, the clutch horctoforc rot'crred lo bidwccn the shaft 15 and eccentric L3, is actuated through the intermediary of the rods 56 and 57 and lover The table is then swung around the pivot 5i, bringing the table with the sheet of glass thereon into horizontal position, from which it may be readily stowed or moved into the leer by means of a stowing; bar 58 slidably mounted upon the top of the table 59, the bar being lever 5 thus permitting the spring clutch to release, stopping the movement of the shear 41. After the glass has been shoved over the top of the table into the leer, the table is swung back into vertical position again and is ready to handle the next sheet. The modification illustrated in Fig. 6 is designed to produce the corrugated wire glass in a continuous sheet which is not cut into sections until it emerges from the leer. The tank construction involving the opposing chambers 60 and 61 is the same as heretofore described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and-3, such chambers being provided with the outlets 62 and 68 and with orifice members 64 and 65 which, in the present in' stance, are not corrugated as is the case in the construction of Fig. 1 In the present case the pairs of opposing rolls 66 and 67 and (38 and 69 are corrugated longitudinally instead of circumferentially, as is also the case with the rolls 7 O and 71 through which the wire mesh 72 passes and which serves to corrugatc such wire before its incorpora tion between the corrugated ribbons 73 and 74., it being understood that the corrugations of the wire mesh correspond to those of the I ribbons. The wire mesh is supplied from the spool 75 and after its passagebetwecn the rolls 7() and 71 is fed between the glass ribbon 73 and 74, thus forming a composite sheet 76. The rolling mechanism and the motor therefor is supported upon the truck 7 77 which mechanism and the mechanism for driving the rollers correspond to that employed in the Fig. 1 construction, so that no further descriptionis necessary. The sheet 76 is supported in its passage to the lccr 78 a by the curved guide chute 79, the leer being similar in construction to that of Fig. 1, and the sheet or ribbon preferably being out into sections on its emergence from the leerj Fig. 7 illustrates a further modification relating to the outlet or slot construction in which the metal orifice members 17 and 18 of the Fig. i apparatus are omitted as well as the electric heating coils 8 and 9. in

this modified construction the end walls 80 l.

the use of means other than labeclips 50?,

lween two rolls, where they so tha t its interference with the continuous forward movement of the sheet is negligible, but other forms ofdcutter movable lor wvard with the sheet or angularly to avoid any interference, as is well known in the art, might be substituted. Similarly r0 such rolls, for holding the sheet against the table 50, or as "so lhe use of any other well known Lype oi" leer, such one using corrugatecl'rolls instead of the endless belts Vihat I ClflJXIllSZ Y 1. A process of making Wire glass 'Will'Cll consists in continuously flowing two ribbons of glass so that they converge and. meet,

'corrugating the sheeets during such movement, continuously corrugsting e wire mesh, feeding it between the two ribbons as ihey meet and applying pressure to the outer faces of the ribbons to cause them to Weld.

2. A process of making ire gglsss which consisss in continuously flowing two ribbons of glass t fisher from oppositedirecrions so that they converge and meet corruga'tilcg the ribbons during such movement, cont-inuously corrugating a wire mesh feeding it betueen'the corrugsleu ibbons, causing; the two ribbons to move through a Vertical pass between two rolls Where they are Welded together with she Wire vmesh therehetween, and feeding She reinforced corrugated glass thus formed through 21 leer.

3. A process of making Wire glass which consists in continuously lowing two ribbons of glass together from opposite directions so that they converge and meet, corrugsting the ribbonslohgimdinelly during such movement, continuously corrugs'sing a Wire mesh longitudinally and. feediim it eel-Ween the corrugated ribbons, causing the two ribbons to move through. e TQKtlC-ll pass bee Welded rm gether with the Wire mesh herebetween, cut-Ling the remE ced ribbon. lIlllO sections as it IS r'meci v rmng the sections lo horizontal posilioris and feeding them through a leer.

4. ln mmbmehoh ngr cor: tee. "WW8 is sppereius me less, pairs-'5 6) 0s v receptacles 4 containing sv of mullet; glass and p epposihg lateral ontleis, a pair of corr rolls extending: longitmlihsiiy of lhe'ou blels in position to receive the therefrom and having vertical through which the ribbons of passing 0V8! she rolls directed and between which she ribbons are Welded together, and means for corrugeii -circnm'ferentially opposir ribbons ins 1r .ing vs.

'l' 7 incl:

spond 'to the corrugations of the ribbons and for feeding'it between said ribbons.

6. in combination in apparatus for makmg corrugsled wire glass a pair ol opposihg: limit receptacles each containing a, bath of molten and. prov ded Wish opposing lateral outlets, :1 pair 1 rolls corru 'ated e 0 ch slot to receive the fefrom with the lower rolls spaced so es lo provide a, vertical pass therebetween, and rooms for corrugatingl a. W' mesh corres iond to the corrugations of he shells and for feeding it between s; ribbons.

7.321 combihslion in apparatus for mslc ing corrugated Wire glass a, pair of opposing tank rec eel-es each containing a bath oi molten 5111 's and provided with opposing lateral outlets; a pair of rolls connected circumferentially opposite e ci'fslot to receive the glass therefrom with the lower rolls spaced so to provide e vertical "pa-s rlierebe'ween means for corrugating s Tfl'll mesh to correspond =20 the consign o l-the ribbons and for feeding it be tween Sill ribbons, means for cutting the for Turning the sections to :1 horizontal position and leer in position to receive said section.

53. In combination in apparatus for making wrrugated e pair of opposmnk receptacles each containing bath of molten glass and pfrovided with opposing lateral, corr' d. millet slots, 2, pair of eircumfe corrugated rolls extend mg l'oii of he outlets in peerisss "therefrom and havirougrh \JlliClltl'lB ribbons of 'i over the rolls are directed, and between l .tho Eribbons are Welded zog ehei' and mlhns for feeding a corrugated Wire mesh brbwccn said ribbons,

lh tcsimr/hy whereof tion to recei sections it is formed, means. 

